i£x  ICtbrtB 


SEYMOUR  DURST 


When  you  leave,  please  leave  this  hook 

Because  it  has  heen  said 
"Ever'thinc)  comes  t'  him  who  waits 

Except  a  loaned  hook." 


Avery  Architectural  and  Fine  Arts  Library 
Gift  of  Seymour  B.  Durst  Old  York  Library 


J 


LATE  NEWS 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2014 


https://archive.org/details/latenewsofexcursOOsuth 


LATE  NEWS 


OF  THE 

EXCURSION  and  RAVAGES 

OF  THE 

KING'S  TROOPS 

On  the  nineteenth  of  April,  1775 


AS     SET     FORTH     IN  THE 

NARRATIVES 

Of  Lieut.  WILLIAM  SUTHERLAND  of  His  Majefty's 
38\h  Regiment  of  Foot  and  of  RICHARD  POPE 
of  the  47\h  Regiment 


MASSACHUSETT  S-B  A  Y 

Cambridge:  Printed  by  the  Press  at  Harvard  College 
for  the  Club  of  Odd  Volumes 
1927 


( I ) 


T*  RE  FA  C  E 


THE  account  of  Lieutenant  Sutherland's  experi- 
ences on  the  19th  of  April,  1775,  is  of  peculiar 
interest,  since  he  is  one  of  the  officers  upon  whose  evi- 
dence Colonel  Smith  based  his  report  to  Gage.  The 
existence  of  the  lieutenant's  narrative  was  unknown 
until  it  was  acquired  by  Mr.  W.  L.  Clements,  the  gen- 
erous friend  of  the  University  of  Michigan,  through  his 
recent  purchase  of  the  superb  collection  of  British 
headquarters  papers  so  carefully  preserved  by  General 
Sir  Henry  Clinton  and  his  descendants. 

William  Sutherland's  commission  as  lieutenant  in 
the  army  dated  from  1761;  he  had  been  of  the  38th 
Regiment  since  1766,  and  so  was  no  novice  in  his  pro- 
fession. He  was  promoted  to  a  captaincy  in  the  55th 
Regiment  in  the  spring  of  1776,  and  four  years  later 
we  find  him  still  of  that  rank  and  regiment.  He  is 
mentioned  twice  in  Howe's  Orderly  Book,  one  entry 
referring  to  his  promotion.  His  wife  was  with  him  in 
Boston,  and  on  one  occasion  he  was  recalled  to  the 
memory  of  General  Haldimand  as  "pretty  Mrs.  Suth- 




erland's  husband."  A  good  husband,  we  may  hope, 
but  certainly  an  energetic  officer  of  an  adventurous 
spirit  and  doubtless  well  trained  in  those  rigid  military 
formulas  which  were  to  prove  so  inadequate  in  the  early 
years  of  the  American  Revolution. 

His  narrative  is  written  in  a  clear  hand  not  his  own, 
on  four  folio  pages,  and  to  it  he  has  affixed  his  signature. 
It  is  dated  April  26th,  or  just  one  week  after  the  battle. 
It  is  not  a  letter  but  rather  a  minute  or  memorandum. 
It  may  have  been  prepared  by  official  command,  but  it 
seems  too  informal  for  a  document  so  inspired.  It  can- 
not have  been  intended  for  Smith,  who  made  his  report 
to  Gage  on  April  22nd.  It  may  have  been  prepared  at 
the  suggestion  of  his  colonel,  for  whom  it  might  con- 
cern, but  any  theory  of  this  sort  amounts  to  little  more 
than  idle  conjecture. 

At  all  events,  here  is  the  story  of  the  19th  of  April, 
recorded  within  a  few  days  of  the  events  it  describes, 
by  an  active  participant  in  the  fighting.  Sutherland 
accompanied  the  detachment  as  a  volunteer  and  evi- 
dently without  permission.  At  half-past  eight  on  the 
1 8  th  of  April,  he  knew  nothing  of  Gage's  plans;  an  hour 
later  he  was  following  certain  soldiers  to  the  Magazine 
Guard  where  he  went  aboard  the  boats.  Perhaps  he 
was  off  duty,  but  to  the  layman  his  course  seems  singu- 
larly casual  and  unmilitary.  If  he  was  to  play  truant 


 oo  

it  is  to  be  hoped  that  he  sent  some  word  to  his  colonel 
and  to  his  spouse,  to  prevent  uneasiness  or  question- 
ing on  the  anxious  day  that  followed.  Not  only  does 
he  seem  to  have  been  well  received  by  both  Smith  and 
Pitcairn,  but  he  was  assigned  by  them  to  scouting 
duty  in  advance  of  the  detachment.  His  companion 
in  this  service  was  probably  a  man  after  his  own  heart, 
as  no  one  can  deny  that  Adair  of  the  Marines  was  a 
bold  and  forceful  officer.  He  proved  this  conclusively 
when  he  came  unbidden  on  to  the  field  of  Bunker 
Hill  where  we  are  officially  informed  he  was  not  only 
"  the  first  who  got  upon  the  Redoubt "  but  "  shew'd  the 
Example  to  others  to  follow  him."  The  early  morning 
task  of  these  young  Hotspurs  seems  to  have  been  vigi- 
lantly and  effectively  performed,  and  we  follow  their 
activities  with  interest,  as  the  infantryman  mounts  his 
captured  horse,  and  the  marine,  "soldier  an'  sailor 
too,"  clambers  aboard  his  wheeled  prize,  whose  home 
port  was  somewhere  in  Middlesex  County. 

Although  in  no  sense  illiterate,  Sutherland  is  not 
always  a  clear  chronicler.  His  topographical  references 
are  often  hard  to  follow,  as  witness  his  brief  and  con- 
fused account  of  the  return  march  to  Lexington.  He 
consistently  and  not  unnaturally  exaggerates  the 
strength  of  his  adversaries;  "vast  numbers"  is  a  fav- 
orite phrase  with  him.  Unlike  Barker  ("The  British 


(  4  ) 

in  Boston,"  Cambridge,  1924),  or  Mackenzie  ("A  Brit- 
ish Fusilier  in  Revolutionary  Boston,"  Cambridge, 
1926),  he  has  no  comment  to  make  on  the  general 
military  activities  of  the  day,  but  confines  himself  to 
what  he  did,  saw,  and  heard.  I  find  no  trace  of  any 
desire  to  glorify  himself. 

Sutherland  not  only  throws  light  on  some  contro- 
verted questions,  but  records  incidents  hitherto  un- 
known. The  notes  will  serve  to  call  attention  to  such 
cases.  The  happenings  of  the  night  march  to  Lexington 
are  given  in  greater  detail  than  in  Barker's  account, 
but  there  is  no  conflict  between  the  two.  Certain  of 
the  Americans  captured  by  the  troops  I  have  tried  to 
identify  from  American  sources,  and  we  are  introduced 
as  well  to  several  British  officers  whose  names  do  not 
appear  in  any  other  narrative.  Sutherland's  vexation 
at  Concord  on  learning  that  Parsons  had  gone  on  to 
Colonel  Barrett's  without  him  is  characteristic  both  of 
his  eagerness  and  of  his  independent  status. 

The  most  important  section  of  Sutherland's  story 
has  to  do  with  the  tragedy  on  Lexington  Common  and 
calls  for  special  comment.  In  the  first  place,  there  is 
that  flash  in  the  pan  ("burnt  priming")  just  before  the 
Common  is  reached.  Adair,  as  well  as  Sutherland,  was 
a  witness  of  the  incident.  It  was  promptly  reported  to 
Pitcairn,  and  that  he  passed  the  information  on  to  his 


 oo  

commanding  officer  is  evidenced  by  Smith's  mention 
of  it  in  his  report  to  Gage.  Then  Sutherland  reports 
shots  from  a  house  that  from  his  description  can  be  no 
other  than  the  Buckman  Tavern.  As  if  aware  of  the 
lack  of  supporting  witnesses,  he  affirms  the  fact  with 
some  solemnity,  indeed  "as  he  hopes  for  mercy."  Ap- 
parently the  tavern  was  disregarded  for  the  moment, 
and  the  troops  passed  on  to  the  Common  to  find  Par- 
ker's men  drawn  up  in  arms.  As  Sutherland  saw  it, 
the  prologue  to  the  bloodshed  was  less  formal  than  we 
have  been  led  to  believe.  Not  Pitcairn,  but  "several 
officers"  called  out  to  the  militia  to  lay  down  their 
arms.  The  order  not  being  obeyed,  Sutherland,  with 
seven  or  eight  other  mounted  officers,  rode  in  "among'st 
them,"  a  sufficient  indication  that  they  were  then  dis- 
persing. Pitcairn's  voice  is  then  heard  above  the  pound- 
ing of  hoofs,  apparently  for  the  first  time,  commanding 
the  men  to  keep  their  ranks,  to  surround  the  militia, 
and  not  to  fire.  Shots  follow  from  a  few  Provincials 
behind  a  wall,  and  in  an  instant  the  British  fire  flashes 
out  in  return. 

At  this  crisis,  much  to  the  detriment  of  history, 
Sutherland's  horse  suddenly  assumes  an  active  part  in 
the  affair.  Unquestionably  "gun  shy,"  he  was  doubt- 
less of  the  patriot  faith,  and  the  property  of  one  of  the 
morning's  captives.  With  the  bit  between  his  teeth,  he 


 CO  

whirls  our  witness  away  from  his  point  of  vantage,  and 
carries  him  in  approved  Gilpinesque  fashion,  probably 
up  the  road  by  Parson  Clark's,  among  fleeing  minute 
men  and  spectators.  He  is  finally  turned,  and  while  he 
is  galloping  back  to  the  Common  certain  long-range 
shots  are  fired  at  his  rider,  evidently  from  the  woods 
between  the  road  and  the  Buckman  Tavern.  Suther- 
land reappears  on  the  Common  in  season  to  give  us 
some  new  information.  He  finds  Colonel  Smith  there 
with  the  Grenadiers,  showing  that  the  main  body  fol- 
lowed the  vanguard  more  closely  than  has  been  sup- 
posed. This  is  accounted  for  by  Pitcairn's  frequent 
halts  to  obtain  information  as  to  the  situation  ahead. 
Not  only  had  the  Grenadiers  arrived  on  the  ground,  but 
we  learn  that  they  fired  smartly  into  the  woods  from 
which  Sutherland  had  been  attacked.  It  is  doubtful  if 
our  witness  saw  this,  it  having  occurred  probably  just 
before  he  regained  the  Common.  At  Smith's  request 
Sutherland  finds  a  drummer,  who  "beats  to  arms." 
The  British  fire  ceases,  but  not  until  another  shot  has 
been  fired  from  an  upper  window  of  the  Tavern. 

Such  in  effect  is  Sutherland's  version  of  the  "battle" 
at  Lexington.  It  is  the  most  circumstantial  account 
from  the  British  side  of  what  happened  there.  Here  is 
more  testimony  as  to  Pitcairn's  sensible  and  humane 
intentions  and  behaviour.  Here  also  is  definite  confir- 


 oo  

mation  of  what  heretofore  has  been  a  theory,  namely, 
that  the  British  aggression  on  the  Common  was  due 
to  the  refusal  of  the  militia  to  give  up  their  arms.  Suth- 
erland's statement  that  the  Provincials  fired  the  first 
shot  cannot  be  lightly  dismissed.  It  is  the  assertion  of 
an  eye  witness  that  must  be  regarded  as  important, 
although  of  course  not  conclusive.  His  argument  that 
the  troops  could  not  have  fired  " immediately' '  because 
of  the  activities  of  the  mounted  officers  in  their  front, 
is  convincing.  He  may  have  been  mistaken  as  to  the 
shots  fired  from  the  tavern,  but  it  is  interesting  to  note 
that  what  he  says  confirms  in  some  measure  the  Lex- 
ington tradition  of  the  activities  of  Solomon  Brown 
upon  those  premises,  activities  that  it  is  alleged  re- 
sulted in  his  ejection  from  the  house  by  a  landlord  who 
for  obvious  reasons  was  determined  to  remain  neutral 
"even  in  thought."  Future  chroniclers  of  the  Lexing- 
ton tragedy  must  certainly  allow  for  an  earlier  en- 
trance of  Smith  upon  the  stage.  The  wildness  of  the 
soldiery  both  at  Lexington  and  at  Concord  Bridge,  and 
the  confusion  that  resulted,  is  nowhere  more  clearly 
indicated  than  in  the  present  narrative. 

The  extract  from  "Richard  Pope's  Book"  is  ap- 
pended, as  it  forms  an  interesting  corollary  to  what 
Sutherland  has  to  say.  It  was  called  to  my  attention  a 
year  or  more  ago  by  Mr.  Allen  French.  The  original 


 un  

manuscript  is  in  the  Huntington  Library  in  California 
and  a  photostatic  copy  is  lodged  with  the  New  York 
Public  Library. 

As  historical  authority  it  ranks  far  below  the  Suther- 
land document.  We  do  not  even  know  who  Richard 
Pope  was.1  His  name  does  not  appear  in  the  British 
Army  Lists  of  the  period,  and  it  is  probable  that  he 
was  a  private  or  non-commissioned  officer  in  the  47th 
Regiment.  His  "Book,"  although  evidently  written 
very  late  in  the  eighteenth  century,  may  have  been 
based  in  part  on  memoranda  made  in  America.  Al- 
though he  did  not  go  out  with  Smith,  and  got  only  as 
far  as  Lexington  with  Percy's  Brigade,  the  larger  part 
of  his  chronicle  is  given  over  to  the  events  on  Lexing- 
ton Common  and  at  Concord.  In  other  words,  while 
Sutherland  reports  what  he  saw,  Pope  gives  much 
space  to  what  he  heard.  He  mentions  the  "charge"  of 
the  mounted  officers  and  even  alludes  to  the  misbe- 
haviour of  Sutherland's  horse!  Is  it  likely  that  Pope,  a 
private  of  the  47th,  talked  with  Sutherland,  a  subaltern 
of  the  38th,  or  had  access  to  his  written  narrative?  If 
not,  his  "  Book"  may  be  cited  as  confirming  from  other 
sources  certain  of  Sutherland's  statements. 

1  Pope's  address  is  given  on  his  manuscript  as  Sion  Hill.  This  may 
refer  to  the  geographical  locality,  but  the  Duke  of  Marlborough's  seat 
near  Brentford  was  known  as  Sion  Hill.  After  the  war  Pope  may  have 
entered  the  service  of  that  nobleman. 


C  9  )  

The  thanks  of  the  Club  are  due  to  our  associates 
Mr.  Clements  and  Mr.  Huntington,  for  their  courtesy 
and  generosity  in  allowing  us  to  reproduce  these  valu- 
able and  hitherto  unpublished  documents. 


Harold  Murdock 


Sutherland's  Narrative 


(  *3  ) 


^Roston^  <LApril  26th  1775. 

ON  the  Evening  of  the  18th  about  9  OClock  I 
learned  there  was  a  large  Detachment  going 
from  this  Garrison  on  which  I  immediatly  resolved  to 
go  with  them  &  meeting  a  few  men  in  the  Street  full 
Accoutred  I  followed  them  &  embarked  at  the  Maga- 
zine Guard  &  landed  near  Cambridge  where  I  joined 
Major  Pitcairn  who  I  understood  was  to  Command 
next  to  Colonel  Smith,  here  we  remained  for  two  long 
hours  partly  waiting  for  the  rest  of  the  Detachment  & 
for  provisions,  about  2  in  the  Morning  1  on  the  19th  we 
marched  Major  Pitcairn  Commanding  the  front  the 
Light  Infantry,  the  Tide  being  in  we  were  up  to  our 
Middles  before  we  got  into  the  road  continued  for  4 
Mile  without  meeting  with  any  person  when  I  heared 

1  This  statement  confirms  Barker's  estimate  {The  British  in  Boston, 
Cambridge,  1924)  as  to  the  hour  that  the  troops  started  on  their  march. 
It  is  confirmed  also  in  "Richard  Pope's  Book."  In  an  anonymous  letter 
copied  by  Lieut.  Frederick  Mackenzie  in  his  diary  (Cambridge,  1926)  we 
find  the  following  —  "It  was  1  oClock  before  they  marched  off.  ...  In 
order  to  make  up  for  the  time  they  had  lost,  the  Command  officer  marched 
at  a  great  rate,  till  they  reached  Lexington,  etc."  While  I  have  been  slow 
to  accept  1  o'clock  as  the  hour  of  starting,  the  accumulated  evidence  seems 
to  establish  the  fact  beyond  reasonable  doubt.  This  compels  the  conclu- 
sion that,  despite  the  numerous  halts,  the  troops  covered  the  eleven  miles 
to  Lexington  in  three  hours  and  a  half  at  most. 


 oo  

Lieu*  Adair  of  the  Marines  who  was  a  little  before  me 
in  front  Call  out,  here  are  2  fellows  1  galloping  express 
to  Alarm  the  Country,  on  which  I  immediately  rode  up 
to  them,  Seized  one  of  them  &  our  guide  the  other,  dis- 
mounted them  &  by  Major  Pitcairns  directions  gave 
them  in  charge  to  the  men,  A  little  after  we  were  joined 
by  Lieu*  Grant  of  the  Royal  Artillery  who  told  us  the 
Country,  he  was  afraid  was  alarmed,  of  which  we  had 
little  reason  to  doubt  as  we  heared  several  shot  being 
then  between  3  &  4  in  the  morning  (a  very  unusual  time 
for  firing)  when  we  were  joined  by  Major  Mitchell, 
Cap*  Cochrane,  Cap*  Lumm  &  several  other  Gentle- 
men2 who  told  us  the  whole  Country  was  Alarm'd 
&  had  Gallopped  for  their  lives,  or  words  to  that 
purpose,  that  they  had  taken  Paul  Revierre  but  was 
obliged  to  lett  him  go  after  having  cutt  his  girths  & 
Stirrups.3  A  little  after  a  fellow  came  out  of  a  Cross 
road  galloping,  Mr.  Adair  and  I  called  to  him  to  stop, 
but  he  galloped  off  as  hard  as  he  could,  upon  which 
Mr.  Simms  —  Surgeons  Mate  of  43d  Reg*  who  was  on 

1  Perhaps  Asahel  Porter  and  Josiah  Richardson  who  had  been  sent  out 
from  Lexington  as  scouts. 

2  Edward  Mitchell  of  the  5th,  Chas.  Cochrane  of  the  4th,  and  Charles 
Lumm  of  the  38th  Regiment,  as  well  as  William  Grant,  mentioned  in  the 
same  paragraph,  were  of  the  party  who  were  sent  out  by  Gage  on  the 
evening  of  the  18th  to  patrol  the  Concord  Road. 

J  This  is  in  agreement  with  Paul  Revere's  own  story  as  he  told  it  late 
in  life. 


(  '5  ) 


horseback  pursued  him  &  took  him  a  great  way  in 
front,  A  little  after  I  mett  a  very  genteel  man  riding  in 
a  Carriage  they  call  a  Sulky  who  assured  me  there  were 
600  men  assembled  at  Lexington  with  a  view  of  oppos- 
ing us,  I  think  I  should  know  this  man  again  if  I  saw 
him  as  I  took  very  particular  notice  of  his  features  & 
dress.  I  waited  with  him  till  Major  Pitcairn  came  up 
with  the  Division  to  whom  he  repeated  much  the  same 
as  he  did  to  me,  then  going  on  in  front  again  I  mett 
coming  out  of  a  cross  road  another  fellow  gallopping, 
however  hearing  him  sometime  before  I  placed  myself 
so  that  I  got  hold  of  the  Bridle  of  his  horse  and  dis- 
mounted him,1  Our  guide  seemed  to  think  that  this 
was  a  very  material  fellow  and  said  something  as  if  he 
had  been  a  member  of  the  Provincial  Congress,  A 
little  after  this  I  mounted  a  horse  I  had  &  Mr.  Adair 
went  into  a  Chaise,  it  began  now  to  be  day  light,  and 
we  mett  some  men  with  a  waggon  of  Wood  who  told  us 
they  were  odds  of  1000  men  in  Arms  at  Lexington  and 
added  that  they  would  fight  us,  Here  we  waited  for 
sometime,  but  seeing  nothing  of  the  divisions,  I  rode  to 
the  left  about  half  a  Mile  to  see  if  I  could  fall  in  with 
them,  but  could  see  nothing  of  them,  however  saw  a 
vast  number  of  the  Country  Militia  going  over  the  Hill 
with  their  Arms  to  Lexington  &  mett  one  of  them  in 

1  Perhaps  Simon  Winship. 


(  i6  ) 


the  teeth  whom  I  obliged  to  give  up  his  firelock  &  Bay- 
onet, which  I  believe  he  would  not  have  done  so  easily 
but  from  M?  Adairs  coming  up,1  On  this  we  turned 
back  the  road  we  came  and  found  the  Division  who  had 
halted  in  consequence  of  the  Intelligence  the  man  in 
the  Sulky  gave  them  in  order  to  make  a  Disposition, 
by  advancing  men  in  front  and  on  the  flanks  to  prevent 
a  Surprize,  I  went  on  with  the  front  party  which  Con- 
sisted of  a  Serjeant  &  6  or  8  men,  I  shall  Observe  here 
that  the  road  before  you  go  into  Lexington  is  level  for 
about  iooo  Yards,  Here  we  saw  Shots  fired  to  the 
right  and  left  of  us,  but  as  we  heared  no  Whissing  of 
Balls  I  conclude  they  were  to  Alarm  the  body  that  was 
there  of  our  approach.  On  coming  within  Gunshot  of 
the  village  of  Lexington  a  fellow  from  the  corner  of  the 
road  on  the  right  hand  Cock'd  his  piece  at  me,  burnt 
priming,  I  immediately  called  to  Mr.  Adair  &  the  party 
to  observe  this  Circumstance  which  they  did  &  ac- 
quainted Major  Pitcairn  of  it  immediately,2  we  still 
went  on  further  when  a  few  shot  more  were  fired  at  us 
from  the  Corner  of  a  house  3  to  the  right  of  the  Church 

1  This  was  doubtless  Benjamin  Wellington,  the  first  prisoner  taken  in 
arms  by  the  British.  He  was  disarmed  and  set  free,  the  treatment  Pitcairn 
would  have  accorded  the  Lexington  belligerents  had  his  plans  worked  out. 

2  This  episode  was  evidently  reported  by  Pitcairn  to  Smith,  who  re- 
peats it  in  his  report  to  Gage.  It  is  mentioned  in  Gage's  account  of  the 
action. 

s  Evidently  the  Buckman  Tavern. 


(  '7  ) 


which  is  sacred  truth  as  I  hope  for  mercy.  When  we 
came  up  to  the  Main  body  who  were  drawn  up  in  the 
plain  opposite  to  the  Church  when  several  Officers 
called  out,  throw  down  your  Arms  &  you  shall  come  by 
no  harm,  or  words  to  that  effect  which  they  refusing  to 
do,  instantaneously  the  Gentlemen  who  were  on  horse- 
back rode  in  amongst  them  1  at  which  time  I  heared 
Major  Pitcairns  voice  call  out  Soldiers  dont  fire  keep 
your  ranks  and  form  &  surround  them,  instantly  some 
of  the  Villains  were  got  over  the  hedge,  fired  at  us,  &  it 
was  then  &  not  before  that  the  Soldiers  fired  which  sett 
my  horse  agoing  who  gallopped  with  me  600  yards  or 
more  down  a  road  to  the  right  amongst  the  middle  of 
them,  at  last  I  turned  him  and  in  returning  a  vast  num- 
ber who  were  in  a  wood  at  the  right  of  the  Grenadiers 
fired  at  me,  but  the  distance  was  so  great  that  I  only 
heared  the  Whissing  of  the  Balls,  but  saw  a  great  num- 
ber of  people  in  this  Wood,  in  consequence  of  their  dis- 
covering them  being  there  our  Grenadiers  who  were 
then  on  their  flank  and  close  to  them  gave  them  a  very 

1  At  this  point  there  appears  on  the  margin  of  the  sheet,  written  in  the 
same  hand  as  the  narrative,  Sutherland's  interpolation  as  follows:  "I 
shall  Observe  here  that  it  is  very  unlikely  our  men  should  have  fired  on 
them  immediately  as  they  must  certainly  have  hurt  Major  Mitchell, 
Capts.  Lumm,  Cochrane,  Lieuts.  Baker,  Thorne,  &  me  &  some  other 
Gentlemen  who  were  on  horseback  who  rode  in  amongst  them,  Desiring 
them  to  throw  down  their  Arms  &  no  harm  should  be  done  them."  The 
officers  mentioned  here  for  the  first  time  are  probably  Peregrine  Francis 
Thorne  of  the  4th  and  Thomas  Baker  of  the  5th  Regiment. 


(  i8  ) 


smart  fire,  On  my  coming  up  Colonel  Smith  turned  to 
me,  asked  me,  do  you  know  where  a  Drummer  is  which 
I  found,  whom  the  Colonel  immediately  ordered  to 
beat  to  Arms,  on  which  there  was  a  few  shot  fired  I  sup- 
pose at  Colonel  Smith  from  the  Gavel  window  of  a 
house  about  50  yards  from  us,  and  it  was  from  the  end 
of  that  house  the  first  shot  was  fired  at  us,  the  firing 
immediately  ceased  on  our  side,  Colonel  Smith  ordered 
that  the  men  should  replenish  the  upper  part  of  their 
Cartridge  Boxes  with  Ammunition.  We  marched 
quietly  from  this  to  Concord  only  seeing  some  horse- 
men on  the  heights,  I  suppose  with  no  other  view  than 
to  know  our  number  &  to  make  the  Cowardly  disposi- 
tion which  they  did  afterwards,  to  murder  us  all  on  our 
return.  On  our  approaching  Concord  we  saw  upon  the 
heights  what  appeared  to  me  to  amount  to  12  or  1500 
people,  on  which  we  halted  a  little  on  this  side  of  the 
first  Bridge1  to  make  a  Disposition  to  go  up  the  Hill 
when  we  saw  this  body  which  we  did  by  Extending  our 
right  flank  to  the  very  Edge  of  the  hill  on  one  side  & 
our  left  to  the  Village  of  Concord,  still  as  we  marched 
on  they  retreated  &  we  saw  several  people  in  the  Marsh 
to  the  right  running  into  Woods,  but  the  Main  body  of 
them  kept  still  together  till  they  retreated  over  the 

1  At  Meriam's  Corner.  For  American  accounts  of  this  episode  see  nar- 
ratives of  Thaddeus  Blood  and  Amos  Barrett. 


(  19  ) 


Bridge  beyond  Concord,  then  they  went  up  the  road  in 
the  face  of  the  Hill  &  went  on  a  little  way  &  then 
turned  out  of  that  road,  to  another  road  on  the  right,  & 
part  of  them  formed  in  a  Meadow  and  the  rest  went 
still  further  off  with  the  Women  &  Children  and  formed 
in  another  Meadow  on  a  rising  ground,  I  saw  more 
men  in  Arms  on  a  height  that  rose  above  the  last  men- 
tioned party,  on  our  crossing  over  the  bridge  after 
them  Cap*  Parsons  Ordered  Cap*  Lawrie  with  2  Com- 
panys  to  stay  at  the  Bridge  and  he  went  up  to  the  top 
of  the  Hill  with  the  Companys  of  4^,  io*.h  &  38V1  where 
we  halted  a  little  &  saw  all  this  Disposition,1  This 
height  is  not  much  above  300  yards  from  the  Bridge  I 
directed  a  Serjeant  of  our  Regiment 2  to  go  to  a  piece  of 
rock  that  was  still  higher  to  see  the  Country  which  he 
did  &  staid  with  the  iof.h  Company  myself,  in  a  little  I 
learned  Cap*  Parsons,3  Cap*  Brown  4  &  Cap*  Boyd  5 
had  gone  further  on,  I  was  exceedingly  vexed  at  this  & 
begg'd  of  Lieu*  Kelly  of  the  io1!1  to  give  me  2  men  to  go 
after  them  which  he  did  and  going  along  I  observed  a 
Company  of  the  4*  Reg*  upon  the  Hill,  I  had  sent  the 

1  For  the  positions  of  the  three  companies  mentioned,  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  bridge,  see  the  reproduction  of  a  contemporaneous  map  in  the 
Mackenzie  Diary. 

2  The  38  th  foot. 

3  Lawrence  Parsons  of  the  ioth  Regiment. 

4  Wm.  Browne  of  the  $id  Regiment. 

5  St.  Lawrence  Boyd  of  the  38th  Regiment. 


(  so  ) 


Serjeant  [to]  sometime  before,  I  still  pursued  the  low 
road  close  by  the  river,  when  one  of  them  called  out  to 
me  Sir  the  Company  of  the  4H1  are  retiring,  I  was  sur- 
prised at  that,  on  which  I  looked  to  my  right  and  saw  a 
large  body  of  men  marching  almost  within  Pistol  shot 
of  me,  it  struck  me  it  would  be  disgracefull  to  be  taken 
by  such  Rascals  and  I  made  the  best  of  my  way  for  the 
Bridge  never  out  of  reach  of  Musquet  shot  of  this  party 
where  I  joined  Cap*  Laurie,  This  formidable  force 
drew  up  on  the  heights  within  3  or  400  yards  of  us, 
Cap-  Laurie  was  kind  enough  to  ask  me,  was  it  not 
better  to  Acquaint  Col.  Smith  of  this  I  told  him  by  all 
means,  as  their  disposition  appeared  to  be  very  regular 
and  determined.  On  which  he  sent  Lieufc.  Robinson  1  to 
Col  Smith  who  returned  in  a  very  little  time  with  Cap^ 
Lumm  who  told  us  Col  Smith  would  send  us  a  rein- 
forcement immediately,  Cap*  Lumm  very  obligingly 
gallopped  as  hard  as  he  could  to  hasten  the  Reinforce- 
ment, on  their  beginning  to  march  down  oh  us  by  divi- 
sions from  their  left  in  a  very  military  manner  as  they 
had  every  advantage  of  the  ground  all  the  Officers  men- 
tioned to  Cap1.  Laurie  that  it  would  be  better  to  go  over 
the  Bridge,  raise  a  few  planks,  which  we  did  I  being  the 
last  that  came  over  myself  &  raised  the  first  plank, 
Cap?  Laurie  desired  the  men  to  form  a  line  to  the  right 

1  Probably  Alexander  Robertson  of  the  43rd  Regiment. 


( 21 ) 


and  left  of  the  bridge  1  and  the  Soldiers  to  keep  up  their 
fire,2 1  jump'd  over  the  hedge  into  a  Meadow  just  op- 
posite to  the  Enemy  as  they  were  advancing  to  the 
Bridge  and  beg'd  they  would  follow  me  agreeable  to 
Cap*  Laurie's  orders,  which  only  3  or  4  did,  on  which 
the  Enemy  seeing  them  altogether  at  the  end  of  the 
Bridge  fired  a  few  shot  which  our  men  returned  and  I 
with  my  3  men  returned,  in  loading  &  in  the  Act  of 
firing  again  I  received  a  shot  a  little  above  my  right 
breast  which  turned  me  half  round  when  I  heared 
Cap*  Laurie  Commanding  and  Exhorting  his  men  to 
be  steady  &  to  return  the  Enemys  fire,  I  called  to  Cap* 
Laurie  that  I  was  wounded  3  and  came  off  the  best  way 
I  could  under  a  fire  from  the  Enemy,  who  to  the  best  of 
my  opinion  exceeded  800  men,  leaving  two  of  those 
that  turned  out  with  me  dead  on  the  Spot,  one  of  which 
I  am  told  they  afterwards  Scalped  4  On  the  appear- 

1  This  not  only  confirms  Barker's  statement  as  to  the  confusion  among 
the  troops  after  recrossing  the  bridge,  but  reveals  Laurie's  attempted 
disposition,  i.  e.,  to  form  the  line  parallel  with  the  river. 

3  "Keep  up  their  fire."  This  is  an  explicit  statement  and  yet  seems 
contradicted  in  the  succeeding  sentences.  The  inference  is  that  Suther- 
land meant  to  say  keep  (or  hold)  their  fire.  Sutherland's  allegation  that 
the  Provincials  fired  first  is  flatly  contradicted  by  Barker. 

3  Mackenzie  in  his  diary  characterizes  Sutherland's  wound  as  slight. 
He  seems  to  have  been  active  on  the  march  to  Boston. 

*  This  "scalping"  episode  is  discussed  in  the  Editor's  "Nineteenth  of 
April  1775"  (Boston,  1924)  and  in  Mr.  Allen  French's  "The  Day  of  Lex- 
ington and  Concord"  (Boston,  1925).  Apparently  the  two  men  left  at  the 
North  Bridge,  one  dead  and  one  supposedly  so,  were  of  the  "3  or  4"  who 


(    «  ) 


ance  of  the  Reinforcement  they  retired  immediatly  & 
as  we  fortunately  killed  their  leader1  &  about  15  more 
they  made  no  Attack  on  Capts  Parsons,  Brown  &  Boyd 
who  returned  to  us  in  safety.  On  our  being  joined  by 
all  partys  &  the  Wounded  Officers  put  into  two  one 
horse  Chairs  we  marched  from  Concord,  just  at  the 
end  of  the  Town  next  to  this  a  few  Concealed  Villains 
fired  on  us,  of  which  we  killed  2,  but  they  wounded  2  of 
ours,  here  I  saw  upon  a  height  to  my  right  hand  a  vast 
number  of  Armed  men  drawn  out  in  Battalia  order,  I 
dare  say  near  1000  who  on  our  coming  nearer  dispersed 
into  the  Woods  &  came  as  close  to  the  road  on  our 
flanking  partys  as  they  possibly  could,  upon  our  as- 
cending the  height  to  the  road  gave  us  a  very  heavy 
fire,  but  some  shot  from  the  left  hand  drew  my  atten- 
tion that  Way  when  I  saw  a  much  larger  body  drawn 
up  to  my  left,  this  I  take  to  be  the  party  with  whom 
those  that  Attack'd  us  at  the  Bridge  meant  to  join  & 
which  we  fortunately  prevented,  A  little  further  on  I 
observed  another  party  to  the  left,  tho'  the  fire  now 
never  Slackened,  but  always  found  it  heavier  close  by 
where  we  saw  these  partys  upon  the  heights  till  we 
arrived  near  Lexington,  when  I  saw  about  2000  men  in 

followed  Sutherland  over  the  wall  in  execution  of  Laurie's  order  to  form 
the  line. 

1  Captain  Davis  of  Acton,  who,  while  not  the  "leader,"  marched  in 
front  with  Major  Buttrick  and  Colonel  Robinson. 


(  ^3  ) 


our  rear  having  looked  behind  on  the  Soldiers  calling 
out  there  was  a  vast  number,1  We  got  down  the  Hill 
with  great  Alacrity,  marching  still  further  on  they  con- 
tinued the  fire  on  our  rear,  but  we  had  no  firing  in  front 
then  which  was  the  Effect  of  our  meeting  the  Is.1  Bri- 
gade a  little  on  this  side  of  Lexington  under  the  Com- 
mand of  Lord  Percy  who  made  one  of  the  best  disposi- 
tions ever  I  saw  and  soon  drove  back  the  Enemy,  We 
now  began  to  Entertain  very  sanguine  hopes  of  our 
returning  in  safety  to  Boston.2  His  Lordships  Courage 
&  Conduct  effected  this  with  very  little  loss,  On  re- 
ducing the  Disposition  Lord  Percy  ordered  the  Grena- 
diers &  Light  Infantry  to  march  in  front  as  their  Am- 
munition was  mostly  expended,  that  5  Companys  of  the 
4th  should  flank  us  to  our  right  where  most  danger  was 
to  be  apprehended,  &  3  of  the  47^  on  our  left,  the 
Fuzileers  and  Marines  our  Rear,  all  to  be  relieved  al- 
ternately, under  a  very  hot  fire  from  every  Bush, House 
&  hedge  we  arrived  at  Charlestown,  which  is  1 1  Miles 
from  Lexington  &  19  from  Concord,  about  8  at  night, 

1  This  paragraph  is  so  confused  in  its  chronology  and  topography  as 
to  be  quite  valueless  as  evidence.  The  best  account  of  the  experiences 
and  behavior  of  the  troops  during  the  march  from  Concord  to  Lexington 
is  to  be  found  in  the  anonymous  letter  copied  in  the  diary  of  Lieutenant 
Frederick  Mackenzie  (Cambridge,  1926). 

3  This  is  the  first  intimation  that  Sutherland  shared  with  the  other 
officers  serious  solicitude  for  the  fate  of  the  detachment. 


(  *4  ) 


We  were  most  annoyed  at  a  Village  called  Anatomy,1 
having  no  Shot  to  fire  from  our  Cannon  on  the  Houses 
which  were  all  full  of  men  &  of  which  we  killed  a  great 
number  &ca.  & 

Wm.  Sutherland  Lt. 
38th  Regt. 

1  Menotomy. 


T^khard  Topers  'Boo^ 


POPE'S  TITLE-PAGE 


(  *7  ) 


zApril  18 

General  Gage  having  receiv'd  intelligence,  that 
the  provincials  had  formed  a  large  Magazine  of 
war-like  stores  at  Concord,  23  miles  from  Boston,  sent 
in  the  Evening  of  the  18th  of  April,  for  the  Command- 
ing Officers  of  Corps,  to  attend  him  seperately.  —  It 
was  Judged  absolutely  necessary,  that  those  prepara- 
tions for  Hostilities  Should  be  destroyed.  —  A  Rendez- 
vous was  accordingly  appointed  for  the  light  infantry 
and  Grenadiers,  at  10  O'Clock  that  Night.  The  whole 
made  21  Companies,  Consisting  of  nearly  800  men. 
The  Embarkation  was  finished  a  little  before  12,  and 
crossed  to  the  right  of  Cambridge.  ■ — 
[_April~\  19.  It  was  two  in  the  morning  of  the  19  before 
the  detachment  began  their  march  for  concord,  under 
the  command  of  Lieut.  Col.  Smyth  of  the  10th,  & 
major  Pitcairn  of  the  marines. 

Major  Mitchell  of  the  5  Regiment  and  four  other 
Officers  set  out  on  Horse-back,  on  the  evening  of  the 
1 8th,  in  order  to  be  at  the  entrance  of  the  Town  before 
dark  to  prevent  Intelligence. 
They  took  3  prisoners,  one,  the  noted  Paul  Revere, 


(  *8  ) 


who  assured  them  that  the  country  was  alarmed,  and 
that  he  saw  the  embarkation,  which  was  then  publick. 
This  information  was  soon  after  confirmed  by  the  Fir- 
ing of  alarm  Guns :  the  bells  rang,  and  Drums  beat  to 
Arms  in  concord,  and  were  answered  by  all  the  villages 
Round. 

Major  Mitchell  returned  and  released  his  prisoners, 
and  retired  to  meet  the  party,  which  he  did  at  day- 
light. Col.  Smith  detached  Major  pitcairn,  to  take 
possession  of  two  Bridges  on  Concord  River:  On  his 
march  he  was  inform'd  by  a  Gentleman,  that  the  whole 
country  was  in  arms,  and  that  at  a  small  distance  from 
him,  at  the  town  of  Lexington,  there  was  a  large  body 
formed,  determined  to  dispute  the  passage. 

This  Information  being  confirmed  by  several  he 
halted  till  Colonel  Smyth  came  up; — The  whole  then 
loaded  [s]till  they  were  positively  forbidden  to  fire, 
without  orders,  and  proceeding  on  their  march,  per- 
ceived on  Lexington  Green  a  body  of  about  200, 
formed  and  seemingly  determined  to  fight.  Major  Pit- 
cairn ordered  the  Light  Companies  to  surround  them, 
and  Repeating  the  orders  not  to  fire. 

On  Approaching  within  100  yards,  the  rebels  filed  off 
to  the  right  and  left,  taking  possession  of  walls,  hedges 
and  houses,  and  began  a  scattered  fire,  which  was  re- 
turned by  the  troops.  On  the  Rebels  breaking,  Major 


(  *9  ) 


mitchell,  and  7  or  8  Officers  charged  them,  with  very 
great  danger  from  our  fire.  The  Horse  of  Lieutenant 
Sutherland  of  the  38th  Reg*  ran  away  with  him  into  a 
wood,  where  a  large  body  of  the  Rebels  lay  concealed, 
who  fired  shot  at  him;  he,  however  got  back  safe.  This 
brought  on  a  heavy  fire  from  the  Grenadiers,1  which 
did  great  execution,  and  dispers'd  the  whole.  From 
Lexington  to  Concord,  (7  miles)  the  rebels  appeared  at 
a  distance,  on  all  sides,  gathering  towards  the  Town, 
but  made  no  attack. 

On  Colonel  Smiths  arrival  at  concord,  he  detached 
some  of  the  light  companies,  to  take  possession  of  the 
Bridges,  while  the  rest  of  the  troops,  were  employed  in 
destroying  the  stores,  consisting  of  three  18-Pounders, 
several  new,  and  well  made  carriages  for  heavy  Artil- 
lery, some  barrels  of  powder,  and  Cartridges,  a  quantity 
of  Trenchers,  Bowls,  Spoons,  and  about  100  Barrels  of 
Flour. 

During  these  Transactions,  the  rebels  appeared  on 
every  hill,  in  great  force,  and  about  2000  were  formed 
on  one,  close  to  a  Bridge,  where  only  two2  light  com- 
panies were  posted.  They  soon  after  came  down  in  col- 
umn, and  gave  an  Irregular  fire,  which  was  returned  by 

1  This  forms  a  curious  confirmation  of  Sutherland's  statement.  The 
firing  of  the  Grenadiers  is  alleged  only  in  these  two  lately  discovered 
documents. 

2  This  should,  of  course,  be  three. 


(  3°  ) 


the  two  Companies,  who  gave  way.  Two  Companies 
of  Grenadiers  appearing,  the  Rebels  retired,  several 
were  killed,  and  wounded  on  both  sides. 

Everything  being  now  effected  at  concord,  which  was 
ordered,  Col:  smith  formed  his  line  of  march,  to  return 
to  Boston. 

On  his  first  perceiving  in  the  morning,  that  the  coun- 
try was  in  Arms,  and  being  assured  by  several,  that  the 
mask  would  that  day  be  thrown  off,  and  the  independ- 
ance  of  the  Colonies  declared,  he  sent  an  officer  back  to 
General  Gage  with  this  Intelligence,  who  immediately 
ordered  the  first  brigade,  consisting  of  the  4,  23  d  & 
47th  Reg*  of  [and]  ye  first  battalion  of  marines,  with  2 
Field  pieces,  to  march  under  the  Command  of  Lord 
percy,  to  support  Colonel  Smith. 

We  1  Composed  a  body  of  about  700,  and  marched 
without  halting,  15  miles,  to  the  entrance  of  the  Town 
of  Lexington,  where  we  came  up  with  the  detachment, 
who  had  nearly  expended  all  their  Ammunition. 

For  a  considerable  time  before  we  joined  them,  we 
heard  a  very  hot  fire,  which  this  small  body  had  sus- 
tained from  numbers  unknown,  from  walls,  houses, 
Churches,  woods,  and  in  the  strongest  country  Imagi- 
nation can  paint.  The  ardour  of  the  Troops  with  a  few 
shot  from  the  field  pieces,  soon  stopped  the  fire  of  the 

1  This  marks  the  beginning  of  what  Pope  saw  himself. 


(  3*  ) 


rebels,  who  fled  on  all  sides;  and  revenge  had  so  fully 
possessed  the  breasts  of  the  Soldiers,  that  the  Bat- 
talions broke,  regardless  of  every  order,  to  pursue 
the  affrighted  runaways.  They  were  however  formed 
again,  tho'  with  some  difficulty,  and  it  would  have  been 
scarcely  possible,  but  for  a  morass,  which  lay  between 
us,  and  the  Enemy.1  Our  order  of  march  was  then 
formed  for  boston  —  the  light  Infantry  and  Grenadiers 
in  the  Centre,  with  strong  detachments  from  each 
Battalion,  as  Flankers;  and  each  reg*  taking  the  van, 
and  rear-guards,  in  turn.2  We  had  not  marched  200 
yards,  till  we  received  a  hot  fire  from  all  sides,  and  in 
this  manner  fought  our  way  back  thro*  a  strong  close 
country;  every  wall  lined,  and  every  house  filled  with 
wretches,  who  never  dared  to  show  their  faces. 

Return  of  the  Killed 

&  WOUNDED 

killed  wounded 


officers  1  16 

Sergts  2  8 

Drumrs  1  o 

R:  &  file  86  157 

Total  90  181 


1  This  is  an  extremely  interesting  statement.  Pope's  mention  of  the 
morass  makes  it  quite  circumstantial.  Mackenzie  who  does  not  conceal 
the  wildness  of  the  troops  makes  no  mention  of  it.  If  there  was  disorder, 
it  was  probably  confined  to  the  47th  and  did  not  extend  to  the  rest  of  the 
line. 

2  This  whole  passage  concerning  the  formation  of  the  column  seems  to 


(  3*  ) 


The  Loss  of  the  rebels  never  could  be  exactly  known, 
some  making  it  800,  killed  and  wounded,  some  less, 
others,  more. 

be  erroneous.  It  conflicts  not  only  with  Sutherland  but  with  every  other 
military  witness.  It  is  such  errors  as  this  and  the  inaccuracy  of  the  roster 
on  the  title  page  (see  illustration)  which  suggest  that  Pope  was  writing  in 
part  at  least  from  memory  and  not  from  notes. 


163  copies  printed  under  the  direction  of 
Bruce  Rogers  at  the  Harvard  University  Press 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts 


